Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 25
25
Two of the missions in the Levelling Up White Paper are ‘overarching’ missions.
Conclusion
Two of the missions in the Levelling Up White Paper are ‘overarching’ missions. The first is around living standards and includes measures of productivity, pay and jobs and the second is around measures of well-being.73 With reference to the first, we asked the Department how it intended to measure local productivity. The Department told us it had set out the metrics it intended to use to track progress against the missions in the annexe to the White Paper but acknowledged that while there was regional GDP data, there was very little available below regional level.74 It told us it had: set out a programme of work to improve the quality and timeliness of local data, including data that would make comparisons across the UK’s nations possible; that it was developing a Spatial Data Unit (which the White Paper says will drive the data transformation required in central government); and that it was working closely with the Office of National Statistics to collect statistics that reflect the modern economy.75
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
7.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Summer 2023 7.2 Although the government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation it disagrees with the conclusion on which it is based. 7.3 As mentioned in the Levelling Up White Paper’s technical annex, we have a good understanding of how we will be measuring progress for most missions on a consistent basis across geographical areas and time scales. For missions that are exploratory, such as pride in place and well-being, or where more granular and timely subnational data is needed, further work is being undertaken to develop these. 7.4 The department has established a Spatial Data Unit to drive forward the data transformation required in central government. The Unit, working together with the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and other government departments, will produce indicators, looking at alternative data sources in absence of good quality local data, address current data gaps and measure progress against the levelling up missions at local level. 7.5 The ONS have published a summary outlining their work plan over the next few years to develop a solid information base with production and dissemination of more timely, granular, and harmonised subnational statistics for regional and local decision-making. 7.6 The department also benefits from a refreshed concordat on statistics (October 2021) between the UK government and the devolved administrations. The concordat sets out how the administrations will work together to deliver an agreed suite of coherent, reliable, consistent and timely statistics about and across the UK.